Single-piece blister package

ABSTRACT

A preformed blister package having a hinged portion integral therewith permitting a lower portion to be rotated about said hinge up against the upper portion thereof in back-to-back relationship providing a fully enclosed package.

United States Patent Wind [ 1 Feb. 29, 1972 SINGLE-PIECE BLISTER PACKAGE Harold Wind, c/o Ideal Mounting & Finishing Co., inc. 49-20 Van Dam St., Long Island City, NY. 11101 Filed: July 9, 1970 Appl. No.: 53,410

inventor:

11.8. Cl ..206/45.34, 206/78 B, 220/31 S, 229/2.5

Int. Cl. ..B65d 25/00 Field of Search ..206/45.34, 78 B, 80 A, 56 AB; 220/31 S; 229/25 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1964 Phipps ..206l78 B FOREIGNP'ATENTSOITAFFUCATENS' w 1,486,242 5/1969 Germany ..206/45.34

Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Liprnan Attorney-Stall and Stoll [57] ABSTRACT A preformed blister package having a hinged portion integral therewith permitting a lower portion to be rotated about said hinge up against the upper portion thereof in backto-back relationship providing a fully enclosed package.

11 claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB29 1972 I, If"! 0ft HAROLD WIND SINGLE-PIECE BLISTER PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Packaging for consumer merchandise.

2. Description of the Prior Art Packages for small consumer goods have come in a variety of types including bags which are closed at the top in some conventional manner and attached to a printed identifying card, heat formed fronts adapted to attractively protect the goods backed by a printed card, etc. Preformed packages are generally known as blister packages when shaped to the general contours of the goods enclosed. Heretofore, however, there is no package known to the applicant which combines the virtues of economy and blister forming in a single piece of material without the necessity for attaching to separate printed members which are usually opaque cards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a blister package made of a single piece of material which requires no additional printed cards nor backing plates.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a blister package made of a single piece of material.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a package which may have two blisters formed in the single piece of material such that when the package is hinged closed, the two blisters are arranged in back-to-back relationship to enclose merchandise therein.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a single-piece blister package having a hinge formed integrally therewith.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide on a single-piece blister package a support and identification portion.

Basically, and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides a single piece of preferably transparent plastic material having two mating blister portions formed therein which may be placed in back-to-back relationship by rotation about the hinge creating a completely enclosed package for small consumer goods. Alternatively, only one blister portion is formed therein, a flat mating closure member therein is adjacent the one blister and can be rotated into back-to-back relationship with the blister again creating a completely enclosed package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the single-piece blister package of the present invention in its closed configuration.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the single-piece blister package of the present invention in its closed configuration.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken across line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the single-piece blister package of the present invention in its open configuration.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken across line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing the single-piece blister package comprises a single sheet of suitable material 12. Examples of material which would be suitable include forrnable self-supporting resilient plastics, preferably transparent to a greater or lesser degree, and which may come under such trade names as acetate, styrene, or vinyl.

Sheet 12 is heat formed to a generally rectangular configuration as shown in FIG. 4. A depression 14 is formed longitudinally across the short dimension of the rectangle in sheet 12. Two merchandise pockets 16 and 18 are formed in sheet 12. Merchandise pockets 16 and 18 have substantially the same circumferential dimensions and shape and extend from the plane of sheet 12 in the same direction as may be seen from FIG. 5. The shapes of merchandise pockets 16 and 18 are entirely optional and generally determined by the nature of the merchandise to be enclosed therein. Depression 14 is situated between merchandise pockets 16 and 18 and is connected to each of said pockets by relatively short flanges 20 and 22 respectively.

A flat area remains on sheet 12 on the side of merchandise blister 16 which is opposite depression 14. This flat surface area becomes the top 24 of the finished blister package 10.

Merchandise pockets 16 and 18 are filled with the goods to be enclosed and then each of said pockets is rotated about depression 14 as a hinge until they meet in back-to-back relationship as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to form a completely enclosed volume containing the goods. Mlerchandise pockets 16 and 18 are then secured to each other by any conventional means such as by stapling, by the use of adhesives, by welding or by other heat sealing.

Top 24 provides a surface upon which may be applied suitable legends and inscriptions. Application may be by direct printing as well as by labels. To permit hanging from a rack provided for the purpose a hole 26 may be placed in top 24 to receive a hook, rod or the like. Hole 26 is defined by an annular depression 27 formed in top 24. Annular depression 27 strengthens the top material at the hole and prevents deformation or enlargement thereof.

To aid in the back-to-back securement of merchandise pockets 16 and 18 there may be formed in sheet 12 about such pockets a continuous flange 28 which, in combination with flanges 20 and 22, provide suitable surface for the application of an adhesive or for heat sealing. Additionally, circumferential depression 30 may be provided to add structural rigidity to blister package 10 and to provide a finished appearance.

Circumferential depression 30 is continuous except at depression 14, which is the first longitudinal depression recited in the claim. The second longitudinal depression recited in the claim is depression 31 which is formed between merchandise pocket 16 and top 24 such that, upon rotation of merchandise pocket 18 about depression 14 into back-to-back relationship with merchandise pocket 16, a portion of circumferential depression 30 and depression .31 are aligned in backto-back relationship to form a resilient protective edging.

It may be seen that there has been provided a blister package manufactured from a single piece of material which serves every function of a package, namely protection, identification, and, when made of a transparent material, complete visibility from all vantage points. The result is a blister package of good appearance, finished design and substantial economy.

While the foregoing illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the present invention it may be seen that other embodiments and modifications may be had within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims. For example, it is contemplated that certain merchandise would not require two blisters in back-to-back relationship. In such a case, either merchandise pocket 16 or merchandise pocket 18 may be eliminated, the corresponding portion of sheet 12 remaining flat to be hinged to close the remaining pocket as. described.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for merchandise comprising:

a. a single piece of forrnable material;

b. a first merchandise pocket, said first merchandise pocket being formed in said material;

c. a mating closure member, said mating closure member being a portion of said material and being located adjacent said first merchandise pocket;

d. a first longitudinal depression, said first longitudinal depression being formed in said material between said first merchandise pocket and said mating closure member and being a hinge therebetween to permit mutual rotation thereof into back-to-back relationship;

e. A planar top member, said planar top member being provided in said material adjacent said first merchandise pocket opposite said first longitudinal depression;

. an annular depression, said annular depression being formed in said material centrally in said planar top member about and defining a hole therein, said hole being adapted to receive a hanger and said annular depression strengthening said material and preventing deformation or enlargement or said hole;

. a circumferential depression, said circumferential depression being formed in said material along the circumference thereof continuously except at said first longitudinal depression thereby providing rigidity and dimensional stability to said material; and

h. a second longitudinal depression, said second longitu- 

1. A package for merchandise comprising: a. a single piece of formable material; b. a first merchandise pocket, said first merchandise pocket being formed in said material; c. a mating closure member, said mating closure member being a portion of said material and being located adjacent said first merchandise pocket; d. a first longitudinal depression, said first longitudinal depression being formed in said material between said first merchandise pocket and said mating closure member and being a hinge therebetween to permit mutual rotation thereof into backto-back relationship; e. A planar top member, said planar top member being provided in said material adjacent said first merchandise pocket opposite said first longitudinal depression; f. an annular depression, said annular depression being formed in said material centrally in said planar top member about and defining a hole therein, said hole being adapted to receive a hanger and said annular depression strengthening said material and preventing deformation or enlargement or said hole; g. a circumferential depression, said circumferential depression being formed in said material along the circumference thereof continuously except at said first longitudinal depression thereby providing rigidity and dimensional stability to said material; and h. a second longitudinal depression, said second longitudinal depression being formed in said material between said first merchandise pocket and said planar top member whereby upon mutual rotation about said first longitudinal depression into back-to-back relationship said mating closure member and said first merchandise pocket secure the merchandise therebetween and said circumferential depression together with said second longitudinal depression form in back-to-back relationship a resilient merchandise-protecting edging. 